Entry-Level Salary Range

Entry-level claims adjusters and those with up to two years of experience were earning a median salary of $40,224 as of March 2011, according to Salary.com. The middle 50 percent of these claims adjusters earn $36,782 to $44,251 per year. The bottom 10 percent have annual salaries at or below $33,648, and the top 10 percent earn $47,916 and higher.

Lower-Paying Areas

The median salary is the number in the exact middle of all the salary figures. Entry-level claims adjusters earn a median salary that is lower than the nationwide median in Little Rock, Arkansas, at $35,920 per year; Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, at $37,009; Lynchburg, Virginia, at $37,127; Wichita, Kansas, at $37,730; Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, at $38,615; Albuquerque, New Mexico, at $38,937; Fort Lauderdale, Florida, at $39,098; and Indianapolis, Indiana, at $39,500.

Higher-Paying Areas

In contrast, many cities have higher salaries for entry-level claims adjusters. Examples include Washington, D.C., at $43,844 per year; Los Angeles at $44,166; Seattle, Washington, at $44,247; Anchorage, Alaska, at $45,896; and Stamford, Connecticut, at $46,177. The median salaries in Anchorage and Stamford rank in the top 25 percent nationwide. In Stamford, the top 25 percent of entry-level claims adjusters make more than $50,000 per year, and the top 10 percent $55,000 per year.

Advancement

Claims adjusters can expect to earn substantial increases in salary as they gain experience. Claims adjusters at level II, with two to four years of experience, have a median annual salary of $49,135 at the time of publication. A claims adjuster III, with four and more years of experience, has a median annual salary of $58,352. The middle 50 percent of claims adjusters at level III have a yearly pay rate of $51,509 to $65,948. The bottom 10 percent earn less than $45,280 per year, and the top 10 percent $72,864 and higher.